Introduction
by Stardust0808
Summary: To him she was a novelty. She just wanted to save the kitty. In order to protect, they met.


**A/N: This is a Sakura / Itachi fic. when they were younger. I eventually plan to add sequels to this and they will be Non-Massacre.**

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The first time he saw her he was eleven years old. At that time she had been a novelty to him. Such a small creature she was. He was intrigued, curious of such a little pixie. Her vibrant pink hair coupled with the viridian of her eyes made her unique, for no one in his clan, in fact the whole village, was there a person such as she who drew attention to them.

She had been walking home from school he assumed from the pack she carried on her shoulders. Whether she came from the academy or civilian institution he knew not, but what he did know was she was being either very brave for one her size or very foolish.

There she was defending herself against a couple of boys who could not have been more than three years older than her. In her hands was a small kitten who was battered and meowing like there was no tomorrow. Making his was over he realized she had rescued the kitten from its tormentors.

As he approached he recognized the kitten that was not so ordinary.

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"Baka! What are you doing to the poor kitty?!" asked an outraged six-year-old Sakura as she cradled the meowing kitten that clung to her in search of protection.

"Who the hell do you think you are, you stupid girl?!" asked one of the boys.

"Why were you hurting the kitten?!" she yelled back.

"Ain't none of your business you stupid girl," the other said as he made a pass to grab her.

Sakura dodged and turned to run away with the kitten to her. The first boy had managed to grab one of her arms and spin her around to face him. Sakura struggled to free her arm, but the big bully gave her a rough shake.

"Let me go or I'll tell the Hokage what you have done" Sakura glared.

The boys sneered, "Go ahead and tell your precious Hokage, but that still won't stop us from beating you up," said the boy as he raised his had to strike at her.

Sakura shut her eyes, hugged the trembling kitten to her body so it would not be harmed further, and waited for the blow to come. Instead she heard a few smacks, grunts and gravel be crushed so she opened her eyes only to find herself staring at something black.

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Incensed at the thought of someone hurting this particular kitten never mind how they got it in the first place; he was positively furious when he watched as they manhandled her.

He was at her side in an instant easily removing the offending appendage from her arm which was sure to bruise. He punched the boy whose arm he had grabbed knocking him out onto his back and quickly moved to strike the other before he left. He let a satisfied smirk appear on his features at the incredulous looks on their faces.

"Leave before you are punished further. _I will_ be reporting this to the Hokage," he said.

Sakura peered from behind this person to look at the boys that were suddenly on the ground holding their cheeks. She watched as they got to their feet and glared at the person in front of her.

"Bastard, we're going to kick your ass," one of them said.

"Be grateful I just punched you. Had it been someone else they would have done worse. Now leave," he replied calmly.

"Bastard! Who the hell do you think you are?"

The person in front of her must have done something to frighten them because they suddenly turned very pale. Their eyes had gone wide with fear and were backing away ready to leave.

"Leave"

The two boys turned tail and ran as if they were being chased by the devil himself, but not before they called back "This isn't over you little bitch!"

Now that that was taken care of, there was still the matter of seeing to the small girl and cat.

Sakura watched the boys leave grateful she wasn't pummeled to death, but she sorely wanted to stick her tongue out at them. With a smile she turned her face up to thank her savior when she met the darkest of eyes she had ever seen.

"Um, thank you for saving me from those boys."

"Iie. It is I who should thank you for saving the kitten," he replied as he stared at her expressive eyes.

Sakura blushed at the intensity in his eyes, "Is the kitty yours? Here, you should take him to the veterinarian to make sure he's okay," she said as she handed over the kitten to him.

The kitten meowed.

"Well" Sakura started "goodbye," she turned to leave, but stopped at the sound of his voice.

"What is your name?"

"Haruno Sakura" she said over her shoulder, "What's yours?" she asked.

"My name is Itachi."

Sakura smiled, "Goodbye then Itachi-kun," she waved as she left.

Itachi watched as she ran down the road to, he presumed, her home. The little kitten in his arms meowed. Itachi made to leave, but glanced back down the road she disappeared off to. They had been introduced and he had a feeling they would see each other frequently.

The kitten agreed with his own meow.

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**A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. Please be kind and review if you liked it.**

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**Posted on September 09, 2008.**

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